Camacho-Quinn Wins Hurdles Summit in 12.31, But L.A. Grand Prix Loses Sizzle When Richardson Drops Out Of 100; Maggie Ewen Launches Big Throw; Marileidy Paulino Wins 400 in 48.98
By David Woods for DyeStat
Saturday’s Los Angeles Grand Prix was a gourmet cake in which the chef omitted the icing.
Such is track and field in 2023.
On a day shot putter Ryan Crouser broke his own world record and hurdler Jasmine Camacho-Quinn beat an historically strong field, the women’s 100 meters lost its flavor.
The three fastest women of the first round – Marie-Josee Ta Lou, Sha’Carri Richardson, Aleia Hobbs – all pulled out of the final at UCLA’s Drake Stadium. NBC reported Richardson developed leg cramps. Ta Lou, of Ivory Coast, posted on Twitter she also had leg cramps.
Previously withdrawing from Los Angeles’ first major meet in decades were L.A.-based Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Athing Mu, Michael Norman, Rai Benjamin, as well as Erriyon Knighton and Kenny Bednarek.
Richardson, who has sought to restore her reputation since a marijuana bust annulled her 2021 Olympic Trials victory, won her first Diamond League race May 5 at Doha in a world-leading 10.76. She has never run in an Olympics or World Championships.
In one prelim with +1.3 wind, Ta Lou won in 10.88 over Hobbs’ 10.95. Richardson won the other in 10.90 (-0.8).
Morolake Akinosun won the final in 10.97, beating Kyra Jefferson, 11.07.
As Camacho-Quinn put it in a TV interview:
“In hurdles, we don’t duck each other. We actually line up when it’s time.”
The 26-year-old Puerto Rican, the reigning Olympic champion, beat a field featuring three former world champions and former world record-holder Keni Harrison. Camacho-Quinn’s time was 12.31.
Previous world leader was Kentucky collegian Masai Russell at 12.36. In L.A., it was a 1-2 finish for the Wildcats because Camacho-Quinn and Harrison (12.35) are former Kentucky hurdlers.
Tia Jones (12.50), Alaysha Johnson (12.52) and Tonea Marshall (12.55) finished 1-2-3. World record-holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria was never in it and finished last in 12.69.
In other women’s events:
>> Dominican Republic’s Marileidy Paulino won the fastest women’s 400 since the 2021 Olympics, setting a national record of 48.98. She is the Olympic and world silver medalist. Olympic and world champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas is on maternity break. Bahrain’s Salwa Eid Nasser, coming off a doping suspension, was third in 50.27….
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